Bedclothes holder



1940- J. c. PREVOST BEDCLOTHES HOLDER Filed Jan. 15, 1940 JOSfP/f C 2951 057- Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a clamp, and more particularly to the type known as a bedclothes holder, and is designed for the purpose of retaining the bedclothes in smooth, firm and finally adjusted position to prevent disarrangement.

While the present disclosure relates to the use of this invention for the purpose of retaining bedclothes, it will be obvious from the description and drawing that it may be used with equal satisfaction and facility for many other purposes such as for supporting table cloths, canopies, and various other devices which require the use of a clamp to stretch and firmly retain the fabric material in position.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which is illustrative of one of the many embodiments to which this invention is 20 adaptable.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the clamp.

Figure 2 is a cross-section thereof taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the clamp applied.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the same.

The invention comprises a pair of relatively movable members I and 2, each having a gripping surface 3 and 4, respectively, extending from one end thereof. The member I has its side edges turned back upon itself and spaced from the back face thereof to provide channel-shaped guides 5 and 6. The face of the member I is provided with a series of perforations 1, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The member 2 has two tongues 8 punched up from its surface to provide support for a spring-pressed latch member 9 which is pivotally supported thereon by the pivot pin Ill. The latch is normally held in locked position by the spring I I. A lever I2 is pivoted to the underside of the latch 9 at l3, and when moved from full to dotted line position as shown in Figure 3, serves as a means to prevent operation of the latch, thereby eliminating the possibility of accidental release thereof. The latch 9 has a tongue I! which projects through a perforation formed in the body surface 2, this tongue being engageable with any of the perforations I on the member I. It will thus be seen that by pressing on the latch 9 the tongue M will be lifted out of engagement with the perforation l to permit of relative movement of the opposed gripping surfaces 3 and 4.

In the operation of the device as a bedclothes holder, a core is provided but may, if desired, 55 be incorporated by sewing or otherwise, into the body of the bedclothes. The gripping surfaces 3 and 4 of the clamp are spread apart by releasing the latch, and the core is placed under the material to be clamped. The material is then pushed between the gripping surfaces of the clamp so that it is gripped between the clamp and the core, the latch is depressed, and the gripping surfaces are pressed together until the core and the material are tightly gripped therebetween. The tongue M of the latch entering one of the perforations 1 locks the two gripping surfaces against relative movement. The level [2 may now be moved to locking position as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3 to prevent the latch from being accidentally released. The clamp is attached to the bed rails or to any other supporting surface by means of a wire frame l6 which is riveted, as shown in Figure 1, to the end of the member I, and a supplemental wire frame I! which has its ends looped around the wire frame l6 and is movable about said frame [6. The member I! can be tied or otherwise secured to any desired surface.

In applying the clamp to delicate fabrics, such as lace or knitted bed spreads or the like, it is preferable to provide a core of soft material or a block faced with a soft material such as velvet, for example.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown and described, but that changes in construction and design may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A clamp comprising two plates having relatively movable gripping jaws, a spring-pressed latch carried by one of said plates, engageablewith the other of said plates to lock them both against relative movement, and a lever on said latch, disposed between said latch and its supporting plate, to block operative movement of said latch when the lever is moved into its blocking position.

2. A clamp comprising a pair of relatively movable plates each having a gripping surface extending angularly from one end thereof, one of said plates having its side edges turned back upon itself to provide channel guides, said plate having a series of perforations in the body thereof, the second plate, having a perforation adapted to register with said series, being slidable in said channel guides and carrying a spring-pressed latch, said latch having a tongue engageable with both movable plates through said perforations to lock both against relative movement, and a lever pivoted to the underside of said latch and operable, when in one position to permit operation of said latch, and when moved to its other position, to prevent operative movement of said latch.

JOSEPH C. PREVOST. 

